Episcopalian Eucharist?

[Piscator23]

Hi! My friend invited me to an Episcopalian service, but i am unsure that as to whether or not i can receive the Eucharist. I know they are not validly ordained priests, so the the bread and wine are not transformed; however, is it still sinful to receive the eucharist and if so why? Thank you for your time!

 

[1ke]

No, you may not receive non-Catholic communion. From the Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia:

The Catholic faithful, therefore, while respecting the religious convictions of these separated brethren, must refrain from receiving the communion distributed in their celebrations, so as not to condone an ambiguity about the nature of the Eucharist and, consequently, to fail in their duty to bear clear witness to the truth.

I suggest you review the entire Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia written by JPII regarding the “why.”

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

Officially it is no, but I have gone to a Episcopalian/Methodist wedding and went up with my Catholic girlfriend as a sign of friendship to them.

We did go to mass the following morning.

In the end it is up to you.

 

[Piscator23]

Thank you for your help!

 

[jmcrae]

Hi! My friend invited me to an Episcopalian service, but i am unsure that as to whether or not i can receive the Eucharist.

No, because doing so signifies a unity that does not actually exist.

 

[Rolltide]

Officially it is no, but I have gone to a Episcopalian/Methodist wedding and went up with my Catholic girlfriend as a sign of friendship to them.

We did go to mass the following morning.

In the end it is up to you.

This is NOT correct. You may not receive communion in a Protestant service, because under Catholic theology Communion is also a Sacrament of Initiation, so unless you’re intending on officially rejecting Catholicism and changing denominations, you shouldn’t do it. It suggests unity in doctrine that is sadly not there. Even more importantly, it is also not a valid sacrament, meaning that Catholics do not believe that it actually becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. You are more than welcome to attend their services, but you may not receive. In general, the only denomination where an exception can be made is with the Orthodox (and other similar Eastern Churches).

 

[LilyM]

Officially it is no, but I have gone to a Episcopalian/Methodist wedding and went up with my Catholic girlfriend as a sign of friendship to them.

We did go to mass the following morning.

In the end it is up to you.

“Officially” no means no full stop - there’s no ‘official no meaning unofficial OK’ in Christ’s eyes nor the Church’s, which He gave the authority to speak in His name. Christ’s Gospel was ‘do whatever He (through the Church) tells you’, not ‘do whatever you feel’.

It is wrong under any circumstances whatsoever to receive Episcopalian Communion, for the good and sufficient reasons stated by other posters.

 

[brianwalden]

Think of it the same way you would think of the true Catholic Eucharist. Would you go up for communion at Mass if you were not in full Communion with the Church? Neither should you receive Episcopalian communion, because you are not in full communion with their Church. You’re lying to your Episcopalian brothers and sisters if you receive their communion and you’re lying to God for receiving a host that has not been consecrated by a priest and is therefore not the true Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ.

 

[mikew262]

No, because doing so signifies a unity that does not actually exist.

Ah, but IMO, a unity does exist, we are all Christians. However, I do acknowledge that the Church says you should not partake. I disagree with that, but that is what the Church says.

I was at an Episcopalian service not too long ago, and my friend next to me mildly encouraged be to receive communion. He said, “all are welcome at Christ’s table”. While I still didn’t partake, I thought, what a nice attitude to have, perhaps my Church ought take that to heart.

 

[LRThunder]

Ah, but IMO, a unity does exist, we are all Christians. However, I do acknowledge that the Church says you should not partake. I disagree with that, but that is what the Church says.

I was at an Episcopalian service not too long ago, and my friend next to me mildly encouraged be to receive communion. He said, “all are welcome at Christ’s table”. While I still didn’t partake, I thought, what a nice attitude to have, perhaps my Church ought take that to heart.

But the Episcopalians don’t believe all the doctrines that the Catholic Church teaches, so to receive communion at an Episcopalian Church would be to state that you’re in communion with them, which isn’t true.

And Paul warns us (don’t have the exact verse) not to partake of communion unworthily. To be a Catholic and participate in a Protestant communion would be to receive “communion” unworthily.

 

[mikew262]

But the Episcopalians don’t believe all the doctrines that the Catholic Church teaches, so to receive communion at an Episcopalian Church would be to state that you’re in communion with them, which isn’t true.

And Paul warns us (don’t have the exact verse) not to partake of communion unworthily. To be a Catholic and participate in a Protestant communion would be to receive “communion” unworthily.

Yes, I know the Church’s position on this. This is why I didn’t partake, when asked too, however, while their beliefs may be somewhat different, they are still doing it in the name of Christ. I can’t see where that is really wrong. I think Paul’s statement can be interpreted differently. Perhaps, he meant do not take communion, while in a state of sin, or if your mind is not focused on Christ, don’t take it. What he said can mean several things, or perhaps your interpretation is correct. W can only speculate.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

This is NOT correct. You may not receive communion in a Protestant service, because under Catholic theology Communion is also a Sacrament of Initiation, so unless you’re intending on officially rejecting Catholicism and changing denominations, you shouldn’t do it. It suggests unity in doctrine that is sadly not there. Even more importantly, it is also not a valid sacrament, meaning that Catholics do not believe that it actually becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. You are more than welcome to attend their services, but you may not receive. In general, the only denomination where an exception can be made is with the Orthodox (and other similar Eastern Churches).

Did you even read my post?

It was an act of friendship on a Saturday afternoon. We made our weekend commitment the next morning by attending mass. There was no rejecting of Catholic Dogmas.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

“Officially” no means no full stop - there’s no ‘official no meaning unofficial OK’ in Christ’s eyes nor the Church’s, which He gave the authority to speak in His name. Christ’s Gospel was ‘do whatever He (through the Church) tells you’, not ‘do whatever you feel’.

It is wrong under any circumstances whatsoever to receive Episcopalian Communion, for the good and sufficient reasons stated by other posters.

It is a real world application of ecumenicalism. We are all Christian in the end, showing friendship towards others of a similar Christian sect is not rejecting Catholicism.

 

[Rolltide]

Did you even read my post?

It was an act of friendship on a Saturday afternoon. We made our weekend commitment the next morning by attending mass. There was no rejecting of Catholic Dogmas.

I read it very clearly. Unfortunately, by receiving Communion in the Episcopalian Church, you may have placed yourself in a state of grave sin when you received the Catholic Eucharist later in the day, creating an even more serious sin, although it may be somewhat mitigated because you didn’t know it was such a serious sin. You may want to talk to your priest about this matter, and abstain from receiving the Catholic Eucharist until your next confession.

Here’s what John Paul II had to say about it in his encyclical “Ecclesia de Eucharista”:

1. Furthermore, given the very nature of ecclesial communion and its relation to the sacrament of the Eucharist, it must be recalled that “the Eucharistic Sacrifice, while always offered in a particular community, is never a celebration of that community alone. In fact, the community, in receiving the Eucharistic presence of the Lord, receives the entire gift of salvation and shows, even in its lasting visible particular form, that it is the image and true presence of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church”.79 From this it follows that a truly Eucharistic community cannot be closed in upon itself, as though it were somehow self-sufficient; rather it must persevere in harmony with every other Catholic community.

The ecclesial communion of the Eucharistic assembly is a communion with its own Bishop and with the Roman Pontiff. The Bishop, in effect, is the visible principle and the foundation of unity within his particular Church.80 It would therefore be a great contradiction if the sacrament par excellence of the Church’s unity were celebrated without true communion with the Bishop. As Saint Ignatius of Antioch wrote: “That Eucharist which is celebrated under the Bishop, or under one to whom the Bishop has given this charge, may be considered certain”.81 Likewise, since “the Roman Pontiff, as the successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity of the Bishops and of the multitude of the faithful”,82 communion with him is intrinsically required for the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Hence the great truth expressed which the Liturgy expresses in a variety of ways: “Every celebration of the Eucharist is performed in union not only with the proper Bishop, but also with the Pope, with the episcopal order, with all the clergy, and with the entire people. Every valid celebration of the Eucharist expresses this universal communion with Peter and with the whole Church, or objectively calls for it, as in the case of the Christian Churches separated from Rome”.83

It continues…

1. Precisely because the Church’s unity, which the Eucharist brings about through the Lord’s sacrifice and by communion in his body and blood, absolutely requires full communion in the bonds of the profession of faith, the sacraments and ecclesiastical governance, it is not possible to celebrate together the same Eucharistic liturgy until those bonds are fully re-established. Any such concelebration would not be a valid means, and might well prove instead to be an obstacle, to the attainment of full communion, by weakening the sense of how far we remain from this goal and by introducing or exacerbating ambiguities with regard to one or another truth of the faith. The path towards full unity can only be undertaken in truth. In this area, the prohibitions of Church law leave no room for uncertainty,92 in fidelity to the moral norm laid down by the Second Vatican Council.93

I would like nonetheless to reaffirm what I said in my Encyclical Letter Ut Unum Sint after having acknowledged the impossibility of Eucharistic sharing: “And yet we do have a burning desire to join in celebrating the one Eucharist of the Lord, and this desire itself is already a common prayer of praise, a single supplication. Together we speak to the Father and increasingly we do so ‘with one heart’”.94

1. While it is never legitimate to concelebrate in the absence of full communion, the same is not true with respect to the administration of the Eucharist under special circumstances, to individual persons belonging to Churches or Ecclesial Communities not in full communion with the Catholic Church. In this case, in fact, the intention is to meet a grave spiritual need for the eternal salvation of an individual believer, not to bring about an intercommunion which remains impossible until the visible bonds of ecclesial communion are fully re-established.

continued…

 

[Rolltide]

This was the approach taken by the Second Vatican Council when it gave guidelines for responding to Eastern Christians separated in good faith from the Catholic Church, who spontaneously ask to receive the Eucharist from a Catholic minister and are properly disposed.95 This approach was then ratified by both Codes, which also consider – with necessary modifications – the case of other non-Eastern Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church.96

1. In my Encyclical Ut Unum Sint I expressed my own appreciation of these norms, which make it possible to provide for the salvation of souls with proper discernment: “It is a source of joy to note that Catholic ministers are able, in certain particular cases, to administer the sacraments of the Eucharist, Penance and Anointing of the Sick to Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church but who greatly desire to receive these sacraments, freely request them and manifest the faith which the Catholic Church professes with regard to these sacraments. Conversely, in specific cases and in particular circumstances, Catholics too can request these same sacraments from ministers of Churches in which these sacraments are valid”.97
   **
   These conditions, from which no dispensation can be given, must be carefully respected, even though they deal with specific individual cases, because the denial of one or more truths of the faith regarding these sacraments and, among these, the truth regarding the need of the ministerial priesthood for their validity, renders the person asking improperly disposed to legitimately receiving them. And the opposite is also true: Catholics may not receive communion in those communities which lack a valid sacrament of Orders.98**

The faithful observance of the body of norms established in this area 99 is a manifestation and, at the same time, a guarantee of our love for Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, for our brothers and sisters of different Christian confessions – who have a right to our witness to the truth – and for the cause itself of the promotion of unity.

 

[Rolltide]

It is a real world application of ecumenicalism. We are all Christian in the end, showing friendship towards others of a similar Christian sect is not rejecting Catholicism.

1. That is your opinion, and not the opinion of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is very clear on this.
2. Let me use another example. Many people travel to foreign countries to visit. They enjoy their culture, people, food, and scenery. However, that doesn’t mean that I want to go and apply for citizenship. Further, if I do, in most circumstances, I would forfeit my citizenship in the United States. Receiving Communion in other denominations is similar.

 

[mikew262]

It is a real world application of ecumenicalism. We are all Christian in the end, showing friendship towards others of a similar Christian sect is not rejecting Catholicism.

You got it!!

 

[mark_a]

It is a real world application of ecumenicalism. We are all Christian in the end, showing friendship towards others of a similar Christian sect is not rejecting Catholicism.

It sounds like your heart is in the right place, but you should check into this a little more.

You should no more receive communion outside the Catholic Church as a sign of ecumenism than a Baptist should pray to Mary as a sign of ecumenism.

 

[1ke]

Did you even read my post?

Yes, we all read your post.

It was an act of friendship on a Saturday afternoon.

It was not an “act of friendship”. As is explained in Ecclesia de Eucharistia it is a FALSE witness and FALSE ecumenism. It is also a grave sin.

We made our weekend commitment the next morning by attending mass.

That does not negate the grave error of receiving non-Catholic communion in violation of the tenets of the Catholic Church. I hope you went to Confession first.

There was no rejecting of Catholic Dogmas.

Yes, there was. You rejected the teaching office of the Church which explicitly states a Catholic MAY NOT receive communion as you did.

 

[BennyBoy89]

Why would any Catholic that believed in the Real Presence want to receive invalid “communion” anyway?

The Eucharist is where we are united with God Himself, becoming one Body. Just because the protestants have separated themselves from the Church, and therefore the fullness of faith, doesn’t mean we should put our own souls in danger as a “gesture of friendship.” Ultimately, you are being a better witness by NOT receiving their bread and wine that they call “communion.”

It’s kinda like rejecting a gourmet meal for fast food.